The former state police sergeant has already moved into his new office, appointed a command staff, promoted from within and hired experienced law enforcement officers from around the region to join him when he officially becomes Sheriff Lippa tomorrow morning.

The 24-year veteran of the Virginia State Police trampled 12-year incumbent Sheriff Homer Johnson in the November election, winning by 66 percent of the vote.

Now, Lippa, 48, wants to make sure he doesn’t let voters down.

“Obviously, the people of Caroline thought it was time for drastic changes, and that’s what I’m here to do,” he said.

One of his first moves was to hire two new female deputies–and he hopes to add a third.

“The Sheriff’s Office hasn’t had a female deputy on patrol in 12 years,” he said.

He’s also beefing up the school resource program by adding a third deputy to work high school hallways when the other two are off duty or called away for court.

Lippa has already moved the Sheriff’s Office administrative staff out of their tiny cramped quarters and into the former county prosecutor’s office.

He’s been talking with county officials about moving the entire Sheriff’s Office to the old courthouse building now that the new courthouse complex is finished.

Just weeks after the election, he asked for resumes from all 41 Sheriff’s Office employees and has reappointed each of them, in some cases promoting officers or moving them into specialized areas to utilize their expertise.

He’s also ordered new shirts, with colorful county-seal patches emblazoned on the sleeves, for everyone in the department.

“There was concern about morale with a new sheriff taking over, but morale has been tremendous,” Lippa said.

Lippa hired an old friend as his second-in-command at the Sheriff’s Office. Former state police Special Agent Mike Hall will take over as major on Friday.

Hall headed up the regional drug task force in recent years, and tackling drug problems is one of Lippa’s first priorities.

Spotsylvania sheriff’s Detective Bobby Jones has also moved to Lippa’s team as an investigator, bringing 21 years’ experience.

“I’m trying to branch out and put good people in the areas they know best,” he said.

Commonwealth’s Attorney’s race:

Richmond Times-Dispatch, November 1, 2007:

Shelia Mae Boone pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of federal bank fraud for writing one $1,000 check to herself on the account of the lawyer for whom she worked.

That lawyer is Harvey Latney Jr., who works part time as the commonwealth’s attorney in Caroline County in addition to his private law practice. Boone was his only employee.

U.S. District Court documents on Boone describe a period of at least two years when she was forging checks on bank accounts set up by Latney for money he was holding for clients and estates he was handling.

[…]

A statement filed with her guilty plea yesterday states that she stole a total of $92,930.42, including the $1,000. That leaves at least $178,000 not accounted for by Boone’s plea agreement or statement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael R. Gill declined to comment on the case.

Boone’s lawyer, Arnold Henderson, said he agreed with federal prosecutors that the single bank-fraud count “was the appropriate charge to bring” against his client.

George Chabalewski, counsel for the Virginia State Bar, confirmed last month that the bar has opened an investigation of Latney because of the missing money. Chabalewski would not say who initiated the bar complaint or provide other details.

[…]

Members of the Williams family had been complaining at least since last year about how long Latney was taking to settle the estate. One of the city’s commissioners of accounts started looking into the complaints and eventually discovered money was missing.

Caroline County’s future is unfolding as construction begins on the new Pendleton subdivision.

The 3,500-home neighborhood is going up on nearly 1,200 acres in Ladysmith on U.S. 1 and State Route 639 between two other subdivisions, Lake Caroline and Lake Land’Or.

[…]

“I don’t think it will bring citizens who will be a burden to the county,” he said. “The houses are nice houses. They are probably middle and upper-income houses, and will probably bring citizens who will enhance the county.”

Hawaii may be famous for its sand and surf, but Stafford County Supervisor Bob Gibbons says he’s more interested in the island state’s roads.

Gibbons is one of three supervisors in the Fredericksburg area who plan to fly to Honolulu next month to attend the National Association of Counties’ five-day annual conference.

But Gibbons and Caroline County Supervisors Wayne Acors and Calvin Taylor say the July 15-19 session will be a working trip.

“Hawaii is one of the leading states on the program they have done for their rural roads,” Gibbons said. “We are going to look at them and try to understand how they did it.”

[…]

Most supervisors in the Fredericksburg area opted out of the trip for varying reasons. Spotsylvania County, for instance, discontinued its NACO membership last year.

[…]

Stafford and Caroline counties will pay $415 for the conference registration for their supervisors, plus costs for meals and transportation. Caroline’s supervisors will fly on economy seats for $740 each. Stafford officials were still unsure about travel costs yesterday.

[…]

Officials in both counties said they could not verify hotel costs, which range from $179 to $295, according to an online hotel reservation form for attendees.

Advertisements for one of the hotels, The Royal Hawaiian, state that “the beach is at the guest’s disposal.” But supervisors say they’ll spend most of the day in conferences, soaking up information instead of rays.

[…]

Still, Caroline’s decision to fund the trip could pose political risks. Some residents have criticized supervisors for considering a 2 percent gas tax to fund transportation improvements.

Supervisors said the county’s road needs cost much more than a trip to Hawaii.

“You’re not going to pave roads for $3,500,” Taylor said.

Really? Then why does your own budget say that $12,703 was spent on travel expenses, along with $1,411 for the NACO membership, and $2,943 for “meals and food supplies”? Can you pave roads with $17,057?